Two Duke Law teams advance to ABA moot court competition nationals

March 7, 2011Duke Law News

Two Duke Law moot court teams have advanced to the national rounds of the American Bar Association’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition after emerging undefeated in the Brooklyn regional competition over the weekend. The national rounds begin April 7 in Chicago.

Grayson Lambert '12, Leah Shen '11, and Nels Vulin '12 comprised one Duke Law team, and Ben Baucom '11, Karen Beach '11 and Catherine Lawson '12 made up the other. They faced 37 other teams in the Brooklyn regional round, held at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on March 5 and 6. Four teams from the Brooklyn regional advanced to the national rounds.

Shen was recognized by the judges as the third-best oral advocate in the entire competition, and the Baucom-Beach-Lawson team earned the third place brief award.

“We are extremely proud of everyone's excellent work that enabled this major accomplishment,” said Matt Vandenberg ’11, co-chair of the Moot Court Board.

“This success wouldn't have been possible without the help of the many Board members who helped the team prepare by mooting them, thinking up different ways to approach the issues, and providing insights into how to sharpen and improve the arguments,” Vandenberg said. “And, of course, Steve Rawson [‘10], the Dean's fellow and one of the Moot Court Board co-chairs last year, did a phenomenal job coaching both teams. We're all very grateful to have had his support in this endeavor, which played a major role in this double victory.”

Twenty-four teams from around the country will compete in the national rounds to be held at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.